Nu traditional clothing is made from handwoven hemp and cotton fabric in natural tones, decorated with colorful geometric bands and beadwork. Women wear long skirts with distinctive striped hem bands.
Key Features of Nu Attire
- Handwoven hemp and cotton fabric in natural brown and gray tones
- Womens long skirts with bold horizontal striped hem bands
- Colorful bead necklaces and bracelets in geometric arrangements
- Collarless front-fastening jackets with piping trim
- Men's cross-body shoulder bags with woven geometric patterns
Traditional Garments
Women wear a collarless jacket in dark blue or black with colored piping at the edges, paired with a long wraparound skirt featuring distinctive horizontal striped bands at the hem in red, blue, and white. Men wear front-fastening jackets in dark tones with loose trousers.
Headwear and Adornments
Women wrap their hair in black or blue cloth, sometimes with bead-decorated headbands. Some Nu women favor woven headwraps with patterned ends hanging at the side. Men wear simple cloth head wraps.
Embroidery and Decorative Arts
Nu decoration focuses on woven geometric bands on skirt hems and shoulder bags rather than needle embroidery. Beadwork on necklaces and bracelets carries geometric patterns.
Living along the wild Nujiang River gorge, the Nu people incorporate the rivers energy into their garments - the bold horizontal stripes on their skirts echo the bands of color seen in the canyon walls at sunset.
Color Symbolism
Dark blue, black, and natural hemp tones for daily wear. Skirt stripes in red, blue, white, and green. Beadwork in bright multicolors.
Festival Attire
During the Nu traditional New Year and the Mountain God Festival, the best striped skirts and full bead jewelry sets are worn.
Modern Influence and Preservation
Nu hemp-weaving traditions are maintained through cultural preservation programs in the Nujiang region.
Did You Know?
The Nu people take their name from the Nujiang River (Salween River), one of the wildest and most remote rivers in the world, along whose gorges they have lived for centuries.